Kathleen Connell

Current

• Principal at The Connell Whittaker Group LLC

Past

• Adjunct Faculty, San Jose State University, NASA Research Park at NASA Ames and Partner Organizations
• Associate Director/Senior Scientist Bio/IT Integration at USRA
• Deputy Director, Astrobiology Integration Office at NASA Ames Research Center

• Director, Strategic Communications & Program Development at Lockheed Martin Corporation/NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California
• Policy Director at Aerospace States Association

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Education

• University of California, Berkeley
• Fielding Graduate University

Recommended

2 people have recommended Kathleen

Connections

64 connections

Industry

Renewables & Environment

Websites

• My Website

Kathleen Connell’s Summary

Kathleen M. Connell is an accomplished strategic and organizational innovator, dedicated to achieving constructive, large-scale social and economic change. Honors include the NASA Public Service Medal and Honorary Colonel, bestowed by the Governor of the State of New Mexico and the United States Army.

She is currently focused on the sustainability missions of communities, organizations, enterprises, initiatives and programs in pursuit of global warming mitigation.

During her career, she has led new initiatives, and founded new for-profit and non-profit entities, worked extensively with NASA, state and local governments, and the private sector. Her leadership of successful technical and socially responsible development projects has generated billions of dollars in direct and indirect revenues and improved capabilities for society.

Kathleen Connell’s Specialties:

• Creative, visionary ideas and strategies
• Dynamic leadership and management
• Advocacy, public affairs, public engagement
• Business development, partnership development and alliance building
• Coalition and movement building
• Research and analysis, future scenarios
• Marketing, strategic communications, web, media and print
• Community Organizing

Kathleen Connell’s Experience

• Principal

  The Connell Whittaker Group LLC

  (Defense & Space industry)

  April 2006 — Present (3 years 4 months)

  Based in San Diego CA. Co-leading planning, policy, coalition building, and entrepreneurial activities in conjunction with several new San Diego sustainability and renewable energy organizations, including The Sustainability Forum, San Diego Loves Green.com and others.
  
  In space, developed "Category X" concept, which proposes to use NASA capabilities to build and field sustainable, affordable retrofit hurricane solutions for the built envirionment. With the NASA Ames Portal and partnering organizations, assisted in the establishment of a commercial space research cluster on the International Space Stational National Lab.
  
  Consultant to Dr. Joan Vernikos. Helped Joan create her consulting web platform, www.joanvernikos.com

• Adjunct Faculty, San Jose State University, NASA Research Park

  NASA Ames and Partner Organizations

  (Government Agency; Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  2003 — 2006 (3 years)

  Advocated for a societally responsible NASA focus, and a Center For Humanity And Space Exploration (CHASE). Spearheaded the establishment of a space life sciences coalition, dedicated to preserving the national capability in space life sciences research on board the International Space Station. The Coalition efforts resulted in the policy concurrence of 100,000 space and life scientists across the country. Congress, The National Academy of Sciences, and many others agreed with our challenge to drastic science cuts.

• Associate Director/Senior Scientist Bio/IT Integration

  USRA

  (Educational Institution; Research industry)

  2001 — 2003 (2 years)

  --Co-managed 100-person research institute.
  --Developed and led initiatives, program development and advocacy for space programs, including Astrobiology, space genomics (http://generations.arc.nasa.gov), information technology and nanotechnology integration and insertion into NASA missions. Principal investigator for societal investigations in life, earth and space sciences benefits (with Alvin Toffler and Associates
  --Co Lead, Bio-Info-Nano Fusion and NASA Missions initiative, with NASA/Ames Center Director (http://binfusion.arc.nasa.gov).
  --Envisioned and articulated multi-partner California Space Center, realized by Ames as NASA Ames Moffett Park Development Plan.

• Deputy Director, Astrobiology Integration Office

  NASA Ames Research Center

  (Government Agency; Defense & Space industry)

  1999 — 2001 (2 years)

  Deputy, Astrobiology Integration Office, NASA/Business, Modernization & Technology, Inc.
  NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 1999-2001
  Directed all operations of NASA Program Level I office, in conjunction with Division Director.

• Director, Strategic Communications & Program Development

  Lockheed Martin Corporation/NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

  (Aviation & Aerospace industry)

  1995 — 1999 (4 years)

  Founding team member of the NASA Astrobiology Program, a national multi-disciplinary initiative. Lead
  communications, program, policy and advocacy.
  While establishing astrobiology,created concept of “Societal Implications of Astrobiology,” and advocated for inclusion of global societal
  implications in science programs and initiatives.
  Related efforts and roles:
  -- Societal Section Chair, Astrobiology Road Map workshop, bringing together leading experts in multi-
  disciplinary teams to help form the mission and program plan for Astrobiology.
  --Co-Lead for space portion of NASA Ames Research Center open house event, attracting a record 400,000
  visitors to learn about science programs at Ames.
  -- On-site mission manager of The NASA Leonids Comet Airborne Campaign in Okinawa, Japan.
  -- Developed and maintained collaborations and partnerships with local, regional, national development groups, via projects such as “Biotechnology Center of Excellence.”

• Policy Director

  Aerospace States Association

  (Government Relations industry)

  1993 — 1999 (6 years)

  Policy and Development Director, Aerospace States Association (Concurrent Appointment) and Advisor, to Director NASA Life Sciences,
  NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
  ♦ Developed national and state space policy for organization of Governors representatives for over 40 states
  Coordinated with numerous Lieutenant Governors, interpolating Congressional, Presidential
  and Agency policy

Kathleen Connell’s Education

• University of California, Berkeley

  B.A. , Development Studies

• Fielding Graduate University

  M.A. , Human And Organizational Systems (Management)

Additional Information

Kathleen Connell’s Websites:

• My Website

Kathleen Connell’s Honors:

NASA National Public Service Medal
Hon. Col. Aide-De-Camp The Governor's Office, State of New Mexico and United States Army
Special Commendation,City of San Francisco, San Francisco Board of Supervisors

Kathleen Connell’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch